Pannun Claims Fresh Threat to Life, Says FBI and Canadian Police Warned Him

Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the US-based Khalistani separatist and founder of Sikhs for Justice, has claimed that he was recently warned about a possible threat to his life by both the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Canadian police. Pannun said FBI officials met him on August 12 and advised him to avoid travel until the reported threat was resolved. He also claimed that the agency asked him to inform officials beforehand if he planned to travel.

According to Pannun, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) contacted him by phone on August 25 and issued another warning about the alleged threat. The details of the reported security concern have not been made public, and there has been no official disclosure identifying a suspected attacker or explaining the possible motive.

Pannun said he would continue his activities despite the warnings. His latest claim comes as a separate US criminal case involving an alleged plot to assassinate him continues to draw attention. Indian national Nikhil Gupta pleaded guilty in a US federal court in connection with the alleged 2023 murder-for-hire scheme targeting Pannun. US prosecutors have alleged that Gupta worked with an Indian government employee in an attempt to arrange the killing. The alleged plot was disrupted during a US law enforcement operation.

Gupta is scheduled to be sentenced in Manhattan federal court on November 20, 2026. India has denied involvement in the alleged assassination attempt. Pannun has been designated a terrorist by India and has been an outspoken advocate of Khalistan, a proposed independent Sikh state. His activities have remained a contentious issue in India's relations with Western countries, particularly the United States and Canada. The latest warning also comes against the backdrop of the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, British Columbia, in June 2023. Nijjar was another prominent figure associated with the Khalistan movement. His killing triggered a major diplomatic dispute between India and Canada.

While Pannun has linked the latest warning to broader concerns over threats against Khalistan supporters, authorities have not publicly established any connection between the reported warning and the earlier cases. The circumstances surrounding the alleged new threat remain unclear. Any conclusion about who may be behind it will depend on further information from US or Canadian authorities.